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Documenting Your Vessel - FAQ
What is
Vessel Documentation? WHAT IS VESSEL DOCUMENTATION?Vessel
documentation is a national form of registration. It is one of the oldest functions of
Government, dating back to the 11th Act of the First Congress. Documentation provides
conclusive evidence of nationality for international purposes, provides for unhindered
commerce between the states, and admits vessels to certain restricted trades, such as
coastwise trade and the fisheries. Since 1920, vessel financing has been enhanced through
the availability of preferred mortgages on documented vessels. WHAT VESSELS MAY BE DOCUMENTED?A vessel must
measure at least five net tons and, with the exception of certain oil spill response
vessels, must be wholly owned by a citizen of the US. MUST MY VESSEL BE DOCUMENTED?Vessels of
five net tons or more used in fishing activities on navigable waters of the US or in the
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), or used in coastwise trade must be documented unless the
vessel is exempt from documentation. Coastwise trade is generally defined as the
transportation of merchandise or passengers between points in the US or the EEZ. In
addition, towboats operating between points in the US or the EEZ or between the EEZ and
points in the US and dredges operating in the US or the EEZ must be documented. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY VESSEL MEASURES FIVE NET TONS?Tonnage is
determined by volume. Most vessels more than 25 feet in length will measure five net tons
or more. WHAT VESSELS ARE EXEMPT?Vessels that
do not operate on the navigable waters of the US Or in the fisheries in the EEZ, are
exempt from the requirement to be documented. Also exempt are Coastwise qualified,
non-self-propelled vessels used in coastwise trade within a harbor, on the rivers or lakes
(except the Great Lakes) of the US Or the internal waters or canal of any state. ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DOCUMENTATION?Yes. A
Certificate of Documentation may be endorsed for fishery, coastwise, registry, or
recreation. Any documented vessel may be used for recreational purposes, regardless of its
endorsement, but a vessel documented with a recreational endorsement only may not be used
for any other purpose. Registry endorsements are generally used for foreign trade. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DOCUMENTATION?The basic
requirements for documentation are to demonstrate ownership of the vessel, US citizenship,
and eligibility for the endorsement sought. HOW IS VESSEL OWNERSHIP ESTABLISHED?If the vessel is new and has never been documented, ownership may be established by submission of a Builder's Certification (Form CG-1261), naming the applicant for documentation as the person for whom the vessel was built or to whom the vessel was first transferred. Also acceptable are a transfer on a Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, a copy of the State Registration or Title, or foreign registration showing that the applicant owns the vessel. In the case
of a previously owned vessel, the applicant must present bills of sale, or other evidence
showing transfer of the vessel from the person who last documented, titled, or registered
the vessel, or to whom the vessel was transferred on a Builder's Certification or
Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin. If title was transferred by some means other than a
bill of sale, contact the NVDC for assistance. HOW DO I ESTABLISH US CITIZENSHIP?Citizenship
is established by completion of form CG-1258. In addition to individuals, corporations,
partnerships, and other entities capable of holding legal title may be deemed citizens for
documentation purposes. Corporations must be registered in a state or the US; the chief
executive officer and chairman of the board of directors must be US citizens, and no more
than a minority of the number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum may be
non-citizens. In addition, at least 75% of the stock must be vested in US Citizens for a
coastwise endorsement, and more than 50% of the voting stock must be vested in US Citizens
for a fisheries endorsement. WHY AND HOW IS BUILD EVIDENCE ESTABLISHED?Evidence that
a vessel was built in the US is required for a vessel which is to be used in the fisheries
or coastwise trade. Build evidence is normally established by submitting a Builder's
Certification on form CG-1261. That form must be completed by the person who constructed
or oversaw the construction of the vessel or an official of the company that built the
vessel who has examined the records of the company to determine the facts of build. WHAT ARE THE VESSEL NAME AND HAILING PORT MARKING REQUIREMENTS?Documented
vessels do not display their official numbers on the outside of the hull, but are
identified by the name and hailing port. The application for documentation must include a
name for the vessel composed of letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals
and may not exceed 33 characters. The name may not be identical, actually or phonetically,
to any word or words used to solicit assistance at sea; may not contain or be phonetically
identical to obscene, indecent, or profane language, or to racial or ethnic epithets. Once
established, a vessel's name may not be changed without application, fees, and the consent
of the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center. There is no rule against
duplication of names for documented vessels, so hailing ports are helpful in identifying
vessels. HOW DO I MARK MY VESSEL?The official number assigned to documented vessels, preceded of the abbreviation "NO." must be marked in block-type Arabic numerals at least three inches high on some clearly visible interior structural part of the hull. The number must be permanently affixed so that alteration, removal, or replacement would be obvious and cause some scarring or damage to the surrounding hull area. The name and
hailing port of a recreational vessel must be marked together on some clearly visible
exterior part of the hull. The vessel name of a commercial vessel must also be marked on
the port and starboard bow and the vessel name and the hailing port must also be marked on
the stern. All markings may be made by any means and materials that result in durable
markings and must be at least four inches in height, made in clearly legible
letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals. The "hailing port"
must include both a place in the United States. The state may be abbreviated. HOW DO I CHANGE THE NAME OR HAILING PORT OF MY VESSEL?The name
and/or hailing port may be changed by filing an application for change on form CG-1258
with the appropriate fees. If your vessel is subject to a mortgage of record, you must
obtain permission from the mortgagee on form CG-4593. WHY DOES THE COAST GUARD REQUIRE DESIGNATION OF A MANAGING OWNER?Many vessels
have more than one owner. To make sure that the right person gets mail concerning the
vessel, one must be designated as the managing owner. WHAT IS A PREFERRED MORTGAGE?A preferred
mortgage is a mortgage which is given status as a maritime lien. As such it enjoys a
certain priority in the event of default. In addition, the Coast Guard is prohibited from
making certain changes in documentation including, but not limited to, change of vessel
ownership, name, and hailing port without consent of the mortgagee. For this reason many
financial institutions require vessels which are eligible for documentation to be
documented and to have preferred mortgages recorded against them. WHERE CAN I GET FORMS FOR DOCUMENTATION?Documentation
forms may be downloaded from the world wide web at
(http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/vdoc/genpub.htm), by telephoning the NVDC, pressing 5 on the
first menu and following the instructions for the autofax system or leaving an address to
which the forms may be mailed. MUST I SUBMIT MY APPLICATION BY MAIL?In many
instances where a bill of sale is not required, such as replacement of lost document,
change of trade, or renewal, you may fax your application to the NVDC, provided you pay
any fees by Visa or Master Card. HOW DO I OBTAIN TITLE INFORMATION FOR A DOCUMENTED VESSEL?You may
obtain an Abstract of Title which will show all bills of sale, mortgages, and notices of
claim of lien filed and recorded by the Coast Guard. You may request the Abstract by fax
if you pay by credit card or may mail your request with the appropriate fee to the NVDC.
To get accurate information you must supply the name and official number of the vessel. IS A DOCUMENTED VESSEL EXEMPT FROM STATE JURISDICTION?No, all
documented vessels must comply with the laws of the state in which they are operated. The
vessel's document must be shown to state law enforcement personnel upon their demand.
States may require documented vessels to be registered (but not numbered) and to display
state decals showing that they have complied with state requirements. IS THE VESSEL TENDER DOCUMENTED?Documentation
of your vessel does not cover the vessel's tender or dinghy. These
craft fall within the jurisdiction of the motorboat numbering laws of the state of
principal use. Please contact your state agency that handles the registration or numbering
of motorboats for further information WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I SELL MY DOCUMENTED VESSEL?Return the original Certificate of Documentation to the National Vessel Documentation Center along with a brief note that you sold the vessel. Your Certificate is nontransferable and should NOT be given to the new owner. When the sale is finalized it is suggested you complete a US Coast Guard Bill of Sale (CG-1340) that can be used by the new owner should he wish to document the vessel. Documentation requires that the new owner send in one signed original and one copy of the USCG Bill of Sale with an Application for Document (CG-1258) and fees. The buyer should also be able to use the bill of sale form as evidence of the transfer of ownership to obtain state registration and/or title if he chooses not to document the vessel with the US Coast Guard. If you have an outstanding mortgage of record against your vessel, please make sure the mortgagee (the lender) completes a Satisfaction of Mortgage form and mails an original and one copy to the National Vessel Documentation Center. Your vessel cannot be removed from documentation with an outstanding mortgage. Documentation
forms and fee schedules are available for downloading at this web site. HOW LONG IS THE CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION GOOD FOR?A Certificate
of Documentation is valid for one year from the date of issue, providing there are NO
CHANGES other than a change of owner's address. The Certificate must be renewed on
an annual basis. Even though it is up to the owner to assure the document does not
expire, the Coast Guard will send a Notice of Renewal to the managing owner approximately
45 days prior to expiration. There is no fee for the yearly
renewal. See the instruction letter Renewal of Certificate of Documentation
elsewhere at this site regarding renewal procedures. MAY I RENEW A LOST CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION?NO. An
Application for Replacement (CG-1258) must be filed along with a $50.00 fee. If the lost
document has already expired it must be exchanged. The fee would then be $84.00 plus
applicable endorsement fees. SHOULD I RETURN THE CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION WITH THE RENEWAL NOTICE?NO,
simply sign, date and return the Renewal Notice…even if your address has changed.
Please note the address change. You will receive a renewal decal and a change of address
sticker to be affixed to your document. MAY I RENEW MY DOCUMENT EARLY?YES. The
Renewal form is available at this website. It may be downloaded from the Forms Menu. It
may be mailed or faxed to (304)-271-2405. BE SURE TO CITE THE VESSEL’S OFFICIAL
NUMBER. MAY I RENEW THE CERTIFICATE AFTER THE OWNERSHIP CHANGES?NO. The
ONLY change permitted is a change of address. ALL other changes will require that the
Certificate be exchanged and accompanied by an Application (CG-1258), fees and other
submissions to support the necessary changes. WHERE MAY I OBTAIN INFORMATION ON DOCUMENTED VESSELS?The
"Merchant Vessels of the United States" (CG408) lists the names of US merchant
and recreational vessels documented under the laws of the United States. It provides
vessel dimensions, tonnage, build (if available), and ownership information. The last
printed version was in 1994. This information is now available in an
electronic format by CD ROM through National Technical Information Services (NTIS), 5285
Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. You can order the latest edition of Vol. 99-001 at
a cost of $125.00 plus shipping and handling. Contact Single Issue Sales at: 800-553-6847
or you can place your order electronically at: http://WWW.NTIS.GOV
and search for "Merchant Vessels of the United States." The National Vessel Documentation Center |
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